The 500 Festival has announced the 33 Indiana women selected to serve as 2023 500 Festival Princesses. Two of them call Putnam County home.

Gayle Baugh, of Greencastle, is a graduate of Cloverdale High School, and a junior at Vincennes majoring in elementary and special education. 

Darcie Cox, of Roachdale, is a graduate of North Putnam High School, and a sophomore at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, majoring in elementary

The Princesses represent 19 Indiana colleges and universities and 21 cities and towns across the state.

With a cumulative GPA of 3.71, this year’s 500 Festival Princesses were selected from hundreds of applicants based on leadership, academic stewardship and  community involvement. This year’s class represents a diverse group of women with a range of areas of study that include nursing, elementary education, business, engineering, sports media, and pre-med. 

Each year, the Princesses conduct more than 1,500 hours of community outreach impacting more than 50,000 people, expanding the celebration and impact of the Indianapolis 500 in a meaningful way.  

The 500 Festival Princesses also participate in the 500 Festival Leadership Development Program, presented by FORVIS, which empowers participants to make a profound impact within their community and the state of Indiana.

In addition, each Princess will receive a $1,000 scholarship for their education.